Michael Granados, spokesperson for the Scottish Democratic Alliance, also found the pre-referendum atmosphere very tense. According to him, the stance taken by most newspapers and TV channels in the region only affirms this opinion.

“The UK National and Scottish media is almost universally and inexplicably anti-independence,” the expert stressed.

From his point of view, this, along with the statements from the world leaders, are the parts of a large soft pressure campaign against Scotland, which goes against the official stated non-interference position of the UK government.

“One of Westminster’s deepest fears is that the break up of the United Kingdom will result in the loss of it's prestige on the world stage. This is a reasonable fear in that the present United Kingdom probable doesn’t deserve a seat on the UN Security Council and would be hard pressed to retain it,” Michael Granados noted.

At the same time, according to the analyst, the decades of debate made the Scottish people to become more and more interested in the principles of democracy of their country.

“In much of the world, particularly the wider UK and the US, the nature of democracy is considered a largely settled matter. What we are discovering in the course of the referendum is a realization that what passes for democracy isn’t really good enough,” he said.

In the expert’s opinion, Scotland will eventually become independent regardless of the results of the oncoming referendum, unless the UK undertakes series of radical and fundamental reforms.

We watched the debate last night between First Minister Alex Salmond and Better Together head Alastair Darling. Amid the euphoria of watching Alex Salmond mop the floor with the other guy. A stuttering, bumbling back bench Labour MP and inexplicably was not so long ago actually the Chancellor of the Exchequer. A man whose grasp of the intricacies of the United Kingdom's finances, economy and money was so poor we were immediately enlightened as to why the UK is in such a mess.

Alex Salmond in last nights debate said something that upon reflection was pretty disturbing. Namely that a Yes vote in the referendum will some how give the Scottish Government a "mandate" on negotiating a currency union. Where exactly did that come from?

This referendum is to give the Scottish Government a mandate to begin negotiating the terms of Scotland's independence. The question is "Should Scotland become an independent country?" There is no mention on the ballot "and, Oh, we'll have a currency union too."

If the First Minster wants to have a "mandate" from the Scottish people on whether we want a currency union he should actually ask us which he doesn't want to do because he knows full well that the issue of what currency we may decide to use is far from a settled question. Many including the Scottish Democratic Alliance would prefer that we have our own currency and that continued use of Sterling should only be a temporary measure.

Let us put forth a more democratic option. Let this referendum decide the issue of whether Scotland should become an independent country. If the answer to that is yes, then the Scottish Government may begin the process of negotiating the specific terms of independence and one of those issues is the currency. Let the Scottish Government negotiate a formal currency union with England as their preferred option and let the SNP campaign on this as an issue. But let the Scottish Government also put forth a plan to transition to and independent currency and a plan to join the Euro and plans for any other options and then lets have a referendum on currency and decide for ourselves which currency we want. As citizens of an independent democratic state that would be our right to decide not to have decided for us by a party in a parliament.

Alex Salmond has simply confused the issue further by announcing that a yes vote is a mandate on a currency union. It isn't. Don't confuse the issues First Minister. This referendum is about deciding who decides not about what we are deciding on any particular issue.

With the referendum coming up everybody is fundraising and so is the SDA.

This is just in to our marketing, fundraising and membership folks. We now have a very posh and stylish cloisonné lapel badge featuring the SDA logo. If you've been looking for an excuse to make a donation or become a member now is the time to get off the fence and take action.

Make a donation today and as a thank you we'll send you a badge of your very own. We'll not set a limit so please donate what you can. Please consider an amount of £20.00 or more as we'll still have some postage costs to send you your badge.

To make your donation simply click on the "Donate" button to the right and you'll be directed to PayPal for a secure transaction online.

If you'd like to waive the premium (but who could resist one of these beauties) and have your full donation go to support the SDA please leave a note on the PayPal service's note field.

Not a member of the SDA Yet?

Now is your chance to become a member and we'll send you a badge of your own.

Visit the membership page so see the particulars on how to become a member.